Amanda was born in Oregon and raised in Twin Falls, Idaho. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Ecology and Conservation from the University of Idaho. During and after her undergraduate studies she spent her summers in Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming doing vegetation community assessments with The Nature Conservancy and fire effects monitoring with the National Park Service. In 2003, Amanda joined the US Peace Corps and went to Nepal as a Soil Conservation Volunteer. After an abrupt end to her service due to political instability, she spent a year in Bangkok, Thailand as an English teacher. Most recently, Amanda earned a Master's Degree in Community Development and Applied Economics from the University of Vermont. Her Master's research focused on the social and economic facets of watershed conservation using a small watershed on the Caribbean island of Saint Lucia as her project site. Amanda moved to Prescott in August 2009 and joined Prescott Creeks in September as Watershed Program Coordinator. She facilitates all aspects of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality-funded Targeted Watershed Improvement Planning grant for the Upper Granite Creek Watershed, including in the Watershed Improvement Council. Outside of the council, Amanda loves spending time in the wild, looking at plants, taking in vistas, hiking, backpacking, finding swimming holes, cooking, and knitting. She is also an avid traveler; she has traveled in South and Central America in addition to her rambles around Southeast Asia. She moved to Prescott with her partner, Michael; upon arrival they added to their family by adopting a one-year Border collie mix named Saturn.